3rd Time's The Charm
by Laur-the-ficster
Summary: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along. Please RR.
1. Chapter 1

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star

Timeline: set for after 'Lose Your Skin'; Jude's father has left. Tommy and Jude have dismissed their kiss from her birthday; Jamie and Kat have broken up

Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie

Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.

Note: I got the idea for this story after seeing the preview for "All Apologies". I thought about how things would be if Tommy really had to come a long way before he was the "Nice Guy" he is now. What if the past had much darker secrets than Jude knows about, and it's come back...

"Great session, Jude." Tommy spoke over the mic into the studio. "Just one...just...I'll be in a sec."

Jude couldn't help but snicker a little at Tommy's comments. Things had been a little rocky between them for a few weeks now, ever since the last show...where he found her in the arms of Jamie and after he misinterpreted her newest song, making him seem even more pompous than he already was. Gone from being friends and confidants to barely being able to speak to each other about anything other than the latest lyrics or more than two minutes was not only awkward, but heart-breaking.

But right now, it was all about the music. She had just put the finishing touches on her new song, "Pride Struck". She felt it was her most mature song yet, and with Tommy's help, they were ready to release it as the new single next week. And as much as she hated to admit it, she did need Tommy's expertise in the studio to make the song perfect. But she knew whenever he wanted to talk about, it usually held some amount of criticism. The lyrics, most likely were the target. The meetings post-recording were always about the lyrics. She fished around on her music stand and found her sheet of lyrics; scratched out lines, whited out words, and a coffee stain decorated the bottom from last night's writing session when Jamie spilt his entire extra-large skinny latte all over the paper.

Tommy pushed through the door to the studio. "Really Jude. The song is good so far. It's just..." He reached out and snatched the lyrics from Jude's hand. "...this part, here." He pointed out the bridge. "I don't think its working. 'You took my heart / And put it on a platter./ Gonna run for the stars / And climb the ladder.' It seems...juvenille. Like you weren't even trying."

"I know. Jamie and I...we were having problems with that last night." She had never said something so monotone in her life, and she meant it that way.

"Oh." Tommy ran his hand through his hair, and shifted uncomfortably his designer, yet rebellious combat boots. He and Jamie had had it out the last time Jude performed also. Then again, Tommy and Jamie seemed to have it out every time they spoke. "Well, still. I think this needs to be change Maybe work on this part and this-."

Jude pushed herself off the stool, and in a swift motion, grabbed the war-ridden lyric sheet. "Fine. I'll i_work/i_ on it." And headed for the door.

"C'mon Jude." The outburts and the snide comments had been going on for weeks now, and Tommy was starting to reach the end of his rope. "How long are we going to act like this?-"

She stopped her angry marching path, and waved the sheet above her head. "Believe it or not Tommy. I can handle this on my own. I don't need this from you." She turned back and walked straight out of the studio.

Tommy followed her towards the lobby of course. "Jude. Jude! Will you just knock it off?" His shouts bounced off the walls but Jude ignored them as she tried to make her escape.

"Jude? Jude Harrison?" In her stomp across the lobby, Jude had failed to notice the woman, even though she was almost standing in her path towards the exit.

"Yeah." She turned back around and looked at the stranger in her midst.

"Oh my god. It's a pleasure to meet you. I followed the Instant Star competition, and you were amazing. I was rooting for you the whole time."

"Thanks." Jude eyed the woman carefully. She was taller than most of the girls Jude knew, including herself. Her hair was brown and curly, and pulled back with a few tendrils hanging in her face. She wore a glittery white flowing skirt, and a brown peasent top, matched with chunky brown and gold belt. She was a little overweight, but still had a pretty face. It was her eyes mostly that made her so appealling, deep brown, with a ring of green around the iris. But Jude was careful not to be drawn in too much. People who complimented her like this woman was doing usually wanted something. "Who are you?" Jude kept looking over the woman's shoulder. She was really hoping to be out the door before she saw Tommy get out of the studio, but he was already rounding the corner and heading towards her.

"Oh, completely forgot. How rude of me." She threw her arm out almost immediatly. "Nicolette Andromedia. You can call me-"

"Nicole." Tommy had come up behind the woman, almost breathing onto her shoulder. And when he got that close and realized who this woman was, he completely froze in place, his mouth gaping open.

Nicolette casually turned her gaze backwards for just a moment. "Hello Tommy." She turned back around and turned all of her attention to Jude. "Nicole. Yes, you can call me 'Nicole.'

Jude put her hand out and shook Nicole's hand out of curtousy. "Nice to meet you." She drew her hand back and folded her arms across her chest. Her gaze moved over to Tommy, who was starting to breaking out of his trance, shaking his head and moving his eyes rapidly around the room. "So, how can I help you?" Seeing as how obviously uncomfortable Tommy was, Jude planned on making this conversation last as long as possible.

"Well, actually." Nicole opened up the Louis Vutton briefcase in her hand and started fishing through the papers within the folds. "I came here to make you a proposition." She found her item, a bright blue packet of papers, folded into an accordian shape. "Here." She held the papers out to Jude. "Take them."

Jude took the packet and quickly scanned over the top sheet. Tommy had finally managed his way over between Jude and Nicole, forming a triangle within the group. He tried to peek over the top of the papers to see what Jude was reading. "What is this?" She asked after a few seconds of quick reading.

"It's a song-writing contract." Nicole smiled politely, but Jude's expression still showed confusion. "I am the manager of BoyzAttack, and I want you to write a song for the group."

The packet nearly dropped out of Jude's hands as she and Tommy both felt their breath catch in their chests. BoyzAttack!" She shouted. "But isn't that-" She waved her finger towards Tommy.

"Yes. It is Tom's former band." She bent down and grabbed the stack on the floor. "But the group has gotten back together, information not yet released to the public. And they need a killer single in order to make their 2nd debut known to the world." She once again made the handoff, but the papers fell limp in Jude's hand.

"But...I...I don't understand." Jude's glances went back and forth from Tommy to Nicole for a few moments, hoping one of them would give some sort of explanation. But Tommy's expression was just as dumbfounded as hers.

Nicole smiled still. "It's very simple actually. BoyzAttach has decided after a string of unsuccessful solo careers, that it would be in their best interest to get the group back together." Jude was about to speak with her finger still pointed at Tommy, trying to sputter out fragments of words. Tommy also seemed just as interested in hearing what Nicole had to say next. "And the group decided it was also in their best interest if Tom did not join the new lineup." She seemed very proud of herself despite the surprising news she had just delivered.

Tommy and Jude on the other hand, shared stunned glances, neither one of them knowing what to say.

"So, what do you say Jude? Are you interested in helping a group relaunch?" Jude blinked several times, looking at the blue packet a little more intensely this time.

"Well, I...I guess but-" Jude finally managed to sputter out.

Nicole started to fasten her briefcase closed. "Listen, I know it's a big decision to make right now. But I really want you to think about it. I wasn't trying to butter you up before when I said you were talented. I honestly think that you would be the best person for the job. So please, think it over. And-" A business card had appeared from her hand and she snuck it on the top of Jude's pile. "Call me when you've made your decision, either way." She started for the glass doors of the lobby, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors below her. She turned around in her stride and looked back at the pair. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Jude and it was nice seeing you again, Tommy." She was smiling again, but this was a different one than before. This was softer, and gave Nicole the appearance of a child. And with that, she walked out the doors towards the elevator.

After trying to make sense of the words on the paper, Jude looked over at Tommy, who looked as if he was trying to do the same. "What was that?" Jude squeaked.

"Nicole. She...uh...I..." Tommy stopped midsutder and looked at Jude. "I'll be right back." He grabbed the papers and the business card and in Jude's hands and bolted towards the door, his boots hitting hard against the floor and his denim jacket waving behind him. He made it through the glass doors and towards the elevators, where he made it just in time to throw his hand between the closing metal doors and step into the box alone with Nicole.

"That was quick. I forgot you could run so fast." Nicole said with a half-smile across her lips.

"What are you doing here?" Tommy said, somewhat breathlessly.

"I thought I had made that clear in my meeting just now."

"I know you Nicole. Why are you here? You KNOW I've been working with Jude since the end of the competition." He started waving the blue packet in front of her face. "And I didn't even think you would be twisted enough to pull something like this. Why didn't you tell me about the group rejoining?"

"Who are you kidding? Even if I called you and told you of the plans, you wouldn't have joined anyway. If I remember one of our last conversations correctly, I think it was 'Who cares about Little Tommy Q anymore? No one! That's who!' Especially you. You're too busy now being Tom Quincy, record producer. Far to self-important to help out with the band that made you what you are."

"BUT COMING HERE? To ask for Jude's help? She's under my care. Her career is in my hands! What kind of move is that, coming here and asking for her help?"

"She's gained national attention for her song-writing, Tommy! You didn't cause that. She's new, she's fresh, and as of this moment, she is unfazed by the music business, and that's what I needed for this new song! That's what BoyzAttach needed for their song. Something different and unaffected. Raw." She huffed, and Tommy thought he saw smoke come out of her nostrils. "Don't let your ego get to you. I'm here for Jude and her talent _alone_. I would have rather you heard the news about BoyzAttach when the rest of the world did."

The elevator reached the bottom floor, and the doors opened with a ding into the lobby towards the bright sunlight street outside. Nicole walked briskly out, and Tommy was right at her heels. He wasn't finished yet. "Stop!" He shouted as they walked outdoors. She stopped at the command and turned around. The pleasent smile she had been wearing most of the time they had seen each other had given way to an annoyed grimace. "Why didn't you even bother asking me? Not even a phone call?"

Nicole sighed a little and stared deep into Tommy's eyes. "Because I knew it would be like this. Hostile, shouting. I know you too well." She twisted slightly towards the street, and waved her arm in the air, hailing one of the first cabs speeding by. She walked towards and opened the door, and threw her briefcase in. "I have a meeting at Atlantic right now. Why don't you meet me at The Sentry tonight? Eight o'clock. We can talk about this then." Before Tommy could say a word, Nicole had climbed into the cab, and it headed down the street and got lost within the busy city traffic.

Tommy didn't bother returning to the studio. He figured, at this point, he wasn't going to be able to get much done anyway. He was too preoccupied. He went back to apartment and poured himself a small glass of Scotch from the cabinet in the living room. It was six o'clock. Only a couple of hours until his dinner.

The phone by the window starting ringing, and had rung about 5 times before Tommy reached the ledge.

"It's Jude. Sorry to bother you at the apartment but you weren't picking up your cell."

Tommy took another quick sip before setting his glass on the table. "No it's fine. What's up?" For the first time in what seemed like ages, Tommy and Jude were having a civil conversation with one another.

"You just...disappeared when Nicole had left, and I didn't know if everything was alright." There was a slight pause. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." Tommy was lying. "Everything's fine. I just didn't expect Nicole to show up like that." He massaged his temple with his free hand.

"Did you know? Like, before hand? About BoyzAttack."

"Uh...yeah. Of course I did."

"It didn't look like it. You seemed kind of surprised."

"Nah, it wasn't that. It was...I didn't think Nicole would come by the label. It was a shock to me."

"She was your old manager?"

"Yeah, she managed BoyzAttack when we first formed the group. And I guess, that's what she's still doing."

"Well, I didn't know what you were up to tonight, if you wanted to swing by, and maybe we could go get a pizza and watch a movie or something."

Tommy threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. It sounded so appealing, even if he did consider himself to be out of the 16-year-old "extra-cheese-and-blockbuster" phase. "I would really like to but I have plans already tonight. You know, catching up on work I put off today."

"Oh yeah. Of course." Jude obviously sounded disappointed. "Gotta do what you gotta do, right? So, some other time then."

"Yeah. Some other time." There was another silence as Tommy moved towards the window from his penthouse and watched the sun set over the city. "I gotta go, Jude. See you tomorrow." And before she could say a word, he hung up the phone and placed it back into the cradle next to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star

Timeline: set for after 'Lose Your Skin'; Jude's father has left. Tommy and Jude have dismissed their kiss from her birthday; Jamie and Kat have broken up

Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie

Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.

Note: I got the idea for this story after seeing the preview for "All Apologies". I thought about how things would be if Tommy really had to come a long way before he was the "Nice Guy" he is now. What if the past had much darker secrets than Jude knows about, and it's come back...

"I thought you'd never make it." Tommy had been sitting at The Sentry's best table for almost an hour before Nicole made her appearance through the frosted copper doors of the city's trendiest hotspot. She had changed outfits, into a red halter dress with bright sparkling gold jewelry. Tommy had been sitting at the restaurant for almost an hour, watching the votive candles around him slowly flicker out, one by one.

"Well," Nicole gracefully took her seat at the dark oak table across from him. "I had to go to Atlantic and talk over details for the press release and then I had to meet with the guys and talk to them about Jude." She took the menu in front of her and scanned it quickly before folding it back up in front of her. "You know how it all works."

One of the waiters sauntered over to the pair, in his bowtie and vest. Tommy couldn't help but think that the guy looked like a penguin. "Good evening. My name is Lawrence and I'll be your waiter this evening. Are you ready to order or do you need more time?"

"No, we're all set." Nicole blurted out before Tommy could even think of a response. "I'll have vodka martini, please and he'll have a scotch on the rocks." Lawrence nodded politly and scurried off to the bar to place their orders.

Tommy's eyes followed Lawrence as he left. "You don't forget anything, do you?

"It was my job, Tommy. If I remember correctly, you requested a bottle of scotch and a bucket of ice before each performance. Couldn't go on with at least a few drinks." Tommy's expression turned sour, and he glared at Nicole across the table, who wore her self-satisfied smile once again. Although he had dealt with the problems he had with his excessive drinking a few years ago, he still felt uncomfortable when ever that part of his past was brought up. The waiter appeared again and put the drinks in front of them before disappearing into the ambiance of the eatery. Nicole reached for her martini and raised it into the air. "What shall we toast to?"

Tommy raised his glass, although hesitantly, mimicking Nicole. Since it had been pointed out, he felt as if every move he made was now going to be scrutinized. "To Jude."

"To Jude." She echoed. The glasses tinked together and a little alcohol disappeared from each glass.

Nicole tilted her head back and took a big swig before setting her glass down on the table. She could still see Tommy was uncomfortable. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We all had our problems. You kicked it," She eyed his his slightly less full glass in front of him. 'for the most part."

Annoyed with the comments, Tommy pushed the glass away from him and towards the edge of the table. "Enough of this, Nicole. What's going on?" He hushed his voice slightly when he realized how loud his voice was becoming. "Why didn't you let me know about this? About the group getting together."

"Please." Nicole took another swig from her glass. "You know as well as I do that even if the option was placed in front of you, you wouldn't have said yes." Tommy laid back in his chair and stared across the table. How did she know what he would say? "Don't give me that look. After BoyzAttack gave you everything you wanted, you wanted out of there so fast. If I didn't have your contract practically stapled to my hand, you would have headed for the door after the 3rd single."

Who was he kidding. Tommy knew what she was saying was true. He wouldn't have gone back. He was through with that part of his life. Being a teen idol, covering the walls of prepubscent girls walls. Now, he could be respected, revered... "Who's decision was it?"

"Chaz. And Stevie. And JP and Bru agreed too. Basically the entire band." Nicole now looked down at her drink, swirling the olive on a toothpick in her glass The whole time she was sitting at the table, her expression had been easy, even teasing. But her eyes were now drooping, and she looked undoubtedly serious. "They were tired of you getting all the attention. Constantly, the magazine covers wanted interviews with 'Little Tommy Q', and if BoyzAttack came along for the ride, then great. But all the focus was on you. The band wanted to be a unit. They thought you would make it fracture." She paused. "You already did." Her voice had gone to sounding almost sad, and her deep brown eyes mirrored Tommy's, staring back at one another. "I wanted you back. Of course before the band made any decisions, they came to me. I mean, I haven't had a real job since you called it quits. But they found me. And I asked about you."

Tommy's ears perked up a little when he heard that Nicole had gone to bat for him. "Obviously it didn't work."

"Obviously. But the guys believed you wouldn't want back in anyway. They knew about you, and your new path. After you tried going for a solo career, and Chaz and JP, you were doing something successful. They figured you wouldn't break it. Not to mention all the negative press at the end..." Nicole sighed and took the last sip of the martini. She reached her hand out and grabbed Tommy's curled fist on the table. Their fingers intertwined and Tommy looked back at Nicole who's expression was incredibly solemn. "I'm serious though. I really wanted you back." She rubbed her thumb in Tommy's palm, rough and calaced from the hours of piano and guitar play. "I missed you."

His thumb was moving in the same motion as hers, caressing her palm and moving up along her fingers. "Well, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

"No. We didn't." Nicole's hand drew away at once, and she tucked it behind her sheet and began fishing around in the briefcase she brought in with her. She drew out an almost identical packet of blue paper and pushed them across the table in front of Tommy.

His hand, which hadn't moved from where Nicole left it, now was sifting through. "Royalites contract."

"You wrote most of BoyzAttack's material. They want to sing them on tour and at live performances. They need your signature. As you can see, you'll be financially compensated for the music." Nicole was through being nostalgic. Serious expression, flat tone. Business now. "If you just sign, we can be done here. You'll never have to see me again, except my name on the bottom of the check you'll receive each month." She pulled a pen out from behind her, and put it next to Tommy's hand.

Tommy took the pen and allowed it to hover over the last page a few seconds before letting the black ink flow and swirl into his signature. "There. You are contractually through with me." He tried to disguise his voice, as not to give away how truly disappointed he was.

Nicole reached out and grabbed the pen and blue papers off the table and threw them into her case. She stood up, and threw her briefcase over her shoulder. "It would have been really nice to have you back, Tommy." She put her hand out for a shake. Tommy coyly threw his out as well, and when the palms met, he pulled her hand in, and kissed the top. She was a little shocked by his gesture, and drew her hand away almost immediatly. When she had managed to regain her composure, she stood straight up, dignifyed. "Best of luck, Tommy." As she walked past him, she ran her hand across the shoulders of his jean jacket, and her heels clicked as she headed for the door.

Jude sat in her living room, strumming on her acoustic guitar, working out new lyrics in her head, discarding them, and then trying some more. Her mom was out with her dad, in a vain attempt to try and salvage their relationship and Sadie was out, probably shopping. It was one of the few times that she had the house to herself.

"SURPRISE!" Jamie burst threw the door and flung himself over the couch next to Jude. Her few moments of peace gone. "And the pizza will be here in about," he checked his watch "10 minutes."

"Great." She continued to strum and fish through ideas.

Jamie leaned over and looked at Jude's hand move. "What'cha doing?" He sat mesmerized.

She heaved a sigh and laid the guitar across the couch before throwing her heads in her hands. "It's the new song. T-O-M-M-Y wants new lyrics to the song, but I'm stuck."

Jamie's expression was a little hurt. "But...I...I think they were okay. I mean, they weren't your best, but I thought they were good." Jude didn't move from her crouched over position. "But I take it Little Tommy Q didn't."

"Don't call him that." She was agitated and moved away from the couch and into the kitchen. Jamie trailed behind her, swinging her guitar and casually running his fingers across the chords. "He hates that. I'm just, I'm so sick of him telling me that the songs that I write or wrote or plan to write aren't good enough. All the time. Just a constant barrage of hostility from him and everyone. I really...I wish he'd listen instead of...insult."

Jude had moved her way to the fridge and fished out a bottle of water and handed it to Jamie before grabbing one for herself. Jamie opened his bottle up and took a big gulp . "Well, all I can say is...he sucks."

She couldn't help but laugh. But it ended quickly and she was reminded again about how unhappy she was at the moment. "Jamie," she stopped suddenly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What's going on?" That was Jamie, always there to listen.

Jude took a deep breath. She really couldn't verbalize what she was feeling lately. "Would you do something, something that could intentionally hurt someone if this person did something just as hurtful back?" Jamie shrugged. She was being vague, a usual Jude move. Jamie shot her a blank look. Her attempts to cover up what she was feeling with hazy descriptions was failing."I mean...all right." She huffed. "The manager of BoyzAttack came to the studio today, and she wants me to write a new song for the group."

"Wait, wait, wait." Jamie waved his hands in front to get Jude to stop talking for a minute. "BoyzAttack? You mean Tommy's getting back together with his old band?"

"I don't know." Jude shook her head and whined a little. "I don't think so. I mean, he seemed really surprised when she showed up."

"SHE?" Jamie nearly choked on his water.

"The former manager. Her name is Nicole. Nicolette Andromedia. Her name sounds so fake." Jude jumped up on the counter and fiddled with the mail left on the counter. Junk mail...and a letter for her dad. "But, yeah. I saw how upset he was. And I think he might...not want me to do it. But I've just been so angry with him lately." Jamie jumped up and joined her. "Would it make me a bad person to do this?"

Jamie put his arm around Jude and pulled her in. "Honestly, for your career, it would look good to get other songs with your name on them. And between you and me," He whispered in her ear. "I wouldn't think less of you for doing it, even though I think you already made up your mind."

A loud laugh escaped Jude's lungs, and she felt a little bit better. Always count on Jamie to make her feel better about decisions. "Thanks Jamie." She threw her other arm around Jamie and pulled him into a hug, and then nuzzled into his shoulder. "You're the best." And before Jamie could realize what he was doing, he pulled Jude in, and kissed her.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star - Part 3

Author: Laur set for after 'Lose Your Skin';

Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie

**Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.  Note: I got the idea for this story after seeing the preview for "All Apologies". I thought about how things would be if Tommy really had to come a long way before he was the "Nice Guy" he is now. What if the past had much darker secrets than Jude knows about, and it's come back... **

_And I felt the way your arms pulled in_

_The light from your eyes I'm swimming in_

_If I lied will I be pulled away from here?_

_Toss me in the churning sea_

_One more day of this wondering_

_Leave me, writhing without your care?_

_My life which just had started has now left into the blue_

_And I'm waiting out on the edge_

_For you_

_You took it all_

_It fell to the ground_

_Now without that, my pride is struck down_

Jude hit the last E-chord, and heard the click from inside the recording studio over the headphones.

"Jude! Oh my god! That was INCREDIBLE!" Georgia chirped over the headphones. "Honestly, that was one of the best song you've ever written." Jude turned around and looked into the booth to see Georgia beaming, E.J. bouncing, and Tommy blankly staring back. Georgia nudged him, and said something that Jude couldn't hear.

The two were going to get into an argument before he gave up and spoke into the mic. "Yeah, Jude. Much better than yesterday. But watch the change from the C to E chord." Georgia smacked Tommy upside the shoulder and waved a finger in his face, like a child to a teacher. He swiveled in the chair and faced the direction away from Georgia, and E.J. who was still bouncing in place, and giving Jude a 'thumbs-up' through the glass. Jude awkwardly gave one back, which caused E.J. to get even giddier. Georgia turned back over to E.J. and pointed towards the exit. Her body slumped and E.J clomped out of the studio.

Jude put her guitar on the stand next to her and headed into the studio herself, just in time to see E.J.'s back heading towards the offices, muttering something under her breath that she was sure included the words "incompetitent" and "egotistical". Who were those things was only Jude's guess.

"Honey. Honestly, that was brilliant. I am so proud of you." Georgia reached over and squeezed Jude and pulled her in close and Jude returned the embrace. Georgia had always looked out for Jude, so she always felt the best after she pleased her. "I have to go do some paperwork, mostly for you, doll. Great job again." Georgia pulled Jude in again before she headed out the door then Jude made her way over to the board next to Tommy.

"Hey." She took a seat next to him, pivoting back and forth in his chair. His lips were pouty, and he looked annoyed.

"Hey." He said, continuing his motions.

"Tommy, I need to talk to you about something. I wanted to tell you-"

"You're going to write the new BoyzAttack song, aren't you?" Tommy bent over the board and pretended to fiddle with the knobs and dials in front of him.

Jude was stunned. "How...how did you know what I was going to say?"

Tommy stood up and looked down on Jude, and spoke straight into her face. "I've been in the music business long enough to know. You wouldn't have passed this up. You shouldn't have." He stared Jude in the face a few seconds and headed out of the studio.

She stood up to follow. "Tommy, stop." And he listened, turning around to look her in the face. "Yes, I've been angry with you lately, and originally, yeah I thought by working on the song that it would hurt you. I came in here today with this idea. But...that's not right. I know that."

The same designer combat boots moved back towards Jude and folded his arms across his chest.

He wanted to see where this self-rightous speech was heading. "So what? Are you going to do it? Write the newest song for _my _former band."

Jude looked down on the floor and shuffled her feet. "I wouldn't do it to hurt you." Her hand moved to the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out the crumpled packet of blue papers. She held them up in her hand. The papers crinkled in Jude's hand as she waved them, and Tommy followed their movement in her hand. "I swear that's not what I'm trying to do."

He moved forward and stared straight into Jude's eyes, their noses almost touching. Their mouths less than a few inches apart. His breath was hot as he drew it in, and what seemed like hours, he finally spoke. "You already did."

A few hot, angry tears came to the corner of Jude's eyes. She threw the packet into Tommy's chest and stormed out of the studio.

As Jude made her way out of the office, Georgia headed her off. "And where are you headed?"

"Home." Jude tried to maneuver around, but Georgia anticipated.

"No you're not. I just got off the phone, and the editor-in-chief of Blender magazine is holding a party at his mansion at this moment." Georgia put her arm around Jude's shoulder and started walking her back to the studio. "And you need to be there." Jude tried to sputter out a few words of protest, but Georgia, in all her grace put an end to them quickly. "Stop arguing. You're going. Right now."

Tommy walked out of the studio, holding the packet still. "Tommy. Sam Managhan's house. Now." Georgia pointed down over Jude, and headed back to her office to wrangle more phone calls and look very important.

Jude's leather coat was in Tommy's hand, which she grabbed before haphazardly throwing it over her shoulders. "You forgot these." He said as he held the contract back out towards Jude. Without another word, the two headed out towards the parking lot.

All of the radio stations sounded the same, and after Jude ran across her song on two separate stations, the thought it best to be turned off. Instead, she fished around in the cup holders, the dashboard, and whatever else could occupy her time that was not conversation.

Stuck in between a few CDs above the stereo was the business card of Nicolette Andromedia. Jude studied the card for a while. Tommy looked over and saw Jude giving the card the once over. His hand reached out and stuck the card in the visor. He didn't bother glancing over, where Jude continued to stare at the visor, where an edge was sticking out.

"What is that? Jude finally piped up.

"What does it look like?" Tommy's voice hissed in response.

Another few moments of awkward silence passed. "Where did it come from?"

"What is this? 50 questions? From Nicole! Where else would give it to me? God Jude."

"I. I just wanted to know what was going on." Silence. "Did she ask you back? Because I really don't want you to go back." She paused and played with her fingernails so she could avoid Tommy's gaze. "I know we've been fighting a lot, and...things have been rough but...I want you around. You're an amazing producer and-"

"No. I was not asked back. I wouldn't want to go back anyway." It sounded convincing. And it was honest. But even though he didn't want to go back, he wanted to know why he wasn't asked back.

"And Nicole?" Jude sounded a little hurt speaking her name, because she knew by asking, she was opening up a can of worms.

"What about her, Jude? What do you want to know?" He started shouting, and his voice was defensive and angry. "Did Nicole and I date? Yes. We dated. We dated a very long time. And seeing her again was a surprise for me, and incredibly hard. Okay, you got your answer! Anything else you want to know!"

Jude was stunned, and could only stare at Tommy, her face holding the same expression that Tommy's did when he first saw his old love. The car was silent again, only the sound of the air whizzing past the open windows. "How long ago?"

Tommy took deep breaths in and out, letting his anger settle a few moments before, but he knew matter how many breaths he took, he was still going to be annoyed...and hurt by someone by someone he had considered to be one of his best friends. "When the band was still together. We met...in the beginning before we really made it anywhere, and we were together. And then in the first year of success..." Tommy trailed off, but found his thought trail again. "When we finally got the taste of fame, I went crazy. I started drinking way too much.

Wild parties. You know, typical rock star lifestyle. And I started being a real jerk to her. Staying out all night, missing rehearsals, just generally treating her like garbage. and I went away one weekend to Vegas, having a really wild time, and I woke up in the morning and found out that the night before I had married Keisha." Jude felt the breath catch in her throat. She asked if they were still together when it happened, Tommy and Nicole.

"Techincally, even though I had completely given up on trying to be a good person to her. Yeah, but when the press came out about me and Keisha, she called it off. And rightly so. Keisha and I were done within a month. She actually thought it could work, and I thought drinking could make it work. She left me. And when I came back after the divorce, Nicole got me on my feet again. She had the band on hiatus working on 'solo projects', well, that's what she told the press, and she carted me to a clinic. She saw...what a mess I was.

"After six weeks, I was better. But still had no place to go. And she took me in...again." Tommy's voice got softer as he spoke. "She never gave up on me.

"Then the group got back together, and things went well for the next two albums. Nicole and I...we were great, but she was diplomatic, keeping the band first. She managed to keep the drinking out of the papers to keep the band squeaky clean. But by the time we were recording the last album, everything was strained. BoyzAttack couldn't be around each other anymore. And Nicole tried to keep us working, but I didn't like the direction we were going in. And when no one would do what I wanted, I flipped, said I was 'too good' and quit the band an hour before a performance in the U.S. I left her to pick up the pieces...I hadn't seen her since."

Jude sat stunned. Tommy's entire romance with this girl, this woman, was so tragic. And he hurt her in the end. Screwed her over; her career. If she didn't know Tommy beforehand, and she had heard this tale of alcoholism, deceit, egos, and just plain cruelty, she would have hated Tommy. To see him face-to-face, and know who he was now, made Jude more confused then she had ever been. "All those articles after the band broke up; they blamed you for leaving."

"They were right, and wrong. I did leave first, but it was a matter of time before one of walked out the door too." Tommy rubbed his fingers against his temples. The simple thought of his past made his head throb. "I...HATE what I did to Nicole. How it ended. I ruined everything for her. I really was...just a horrible person." He found himself baffled. It hadn't thought about this in five years, when he walked out that door in Baltimore, he never wanted to give BoyzAttack, that music, or even Nicole another thought. And he didn't. He blocked it out; took off for Europe for almost a year and came back with a new focus. Without any ties to his past. It wasn't until Nicole walked back into the studio that day that everything he had been burying for years came back to the surface. And thinking back on it now, he realized what he had done, and how he hurt the people that he cared about the most, or at least the one person that had meant the most.

A piece of Jude's bright red hair fell into her eyes, but it was enough for her to gain her composure. "Tommy. I'm sorry. I...I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't." Tommy looked over to Jude, and pushed the hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. "I never told you. I didn't want you to know."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star - Part 4

Timeline: set for after 'Lose Your Skin';

Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie

Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.

January 22, 2000 - 6:57 pm

"I'm serious, Chaz. If I don't see your ass stretching in two minutes, I will stretch you out myself. Got it?" Nicole was running frantically through executive dressing room of the Pavilion in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the last leg of the BoyzAttack tour, promoting their newest album _Back in Action_. And as of now, the quintet was short a member. "Where the hell is Tommy?" The cell phone in her hand was getting heated from over use, and she was sure her face matched with an equally heated complexion. Tommy wasn't answering and no one had seen him; at the hotel, at the studio, nowhere. With an hour before the show was about to start, and Little Tommy Q, the face of BoyzAttack, was MIA.

"Nicole!" Bru yelled from the couch, peering up from his copy of Time. "Would you please stop pacing? You're going to burn a hole in the carpet or something. Besides you're making me nervous."

"And why aren't you? He's missing, dammit."

"He'll show up." Chaz finally took Nicole's advice and was laid out on the carpet in the center of the room, working his hamstrings. "He always does."

"Here, Nicole." JP came up behind her. "Maybe you should cool off a bit." He spun her around and sprayed her in the face with a bright yellow squirt gun. The whole room burst into laughter, including Nicole herself. "Oh man, I have been saving that one for you ALL DAY!" JP saunted back to the craft service area and high-fived Stevie, who was calmly strumming his Fender Strat guitar.

Nicole used her sleeve to wipe away the drops falling from her face. She saw some of her make-up come off with the water. "I swear, if you made my mascara run-" She was interupted when the phone in her hand started ringing the theme song to "Perfect Strangers." As quickly as she could she flipped open her phone and threw it to her ear. "TOMMY? Oh, Mike. Hey. Still nothing, huh? Well how about the suite at the hotel again? He's got to be..." In her panic over the missing member, she started pacing again and moved to the other side of the dressing room.

Chaz, JP, Bru and Stevie all huddled together when Chaz pulled something out of his jacket pocket. "Nicole's been trying to keep this from us for days now." The colorful paper in his hand was tattered, creased and dented all over, as if it had been read about 50 times already. It was an article from SPIN magazine. The headline was blazing in bright yellow print "The End of BoyzAttack(?)"

Stevie reached out and scanned the article as quickly as he could. "What is this?"

"Apparently," Chaz started as the article was passed around the circle. "someone leaked about the show last month. In Montana."

JP, who tended to be the most light-hearted of the group turned very serious. "You mean where we had to cancel a show and lie about me breaking my wrist in basketball?" He snatched the article violently from Bru's grip. "But when Tommy didn't show up because he didn't 'feel like performing tonight' and decided that 'remastering the new tracks' was more important?" JP's fist was shaking. Even just thinking about the night made him so angry; possibly one of the worst nights of his career.

"Yeah." Stevie said solemnly. "That's the one."

"The press found out about us being on shaky ground. And Bru..." Chaz looked over at his younger brother, "they printed the police report from when you trashed the studio in Atlanta. When you and Tommy were fighting."

"What are we 'fighting' about?" Nicole appeared again, looking a little calmer than earlier. But before JP could fold the article into the cushions of his chair, she had caught sight and knew exactly what it was. "So, you found it."

In a quick motion, Stevie rose from his spot in the group and moved right in Nicole's line of sight. "And when were you going to tell us? Why were you hiding it?"

She was ready for this. "Are you kidding? This is a PR nightmare. I have been working my ass off for the past 3 weeks trying to get the press to focus on something positive with you guys other than the fighting and the 'broken wrists' and missing concert dates. I have been trying to protect you guys."

Chaz moved in behind Stevie. "Protect us? Or protect Tommy?"

The apples of Nicole's cheeks were burning now with his accusations. "Don't you dare! You know that no matter what, the BAND comes first. Not a MEMBER of the band. But everyone as a whole." Now she was sure her face was turning from crimson to purple. "You know perfectly well all the work I put in to keep this all together." She pushed Stevie out of the way and pointed the cell phone antenna into Chaz's face where it was practically touching his nose. "When it comes to BoyzAttack, BOYZATTACK comes first. Never again accuse me of favoritism when it comes to my job." She dropped the phone to her side and walked out the suite door into the hallway. She just needed a minute...to cool down.

Her back hit against the cold concrete and she slid down to the ground. The cell phone in her hand showed her nothing but the time. No incoming calls. Frustration gave in and she threw it against the wall across from her. It cracked and broke into a hundred electronic bits across the floor. Nicole curled her legs into her chest and rested her head on her knees. Her head was pounding and her body was shaking. They cornered her. Her own group, had cornered her.

Realization was beginning to take shape in Nicole's mind...everything that she had worked so hard for was beginning to fall apart. All the blood, sweat and tears that had gone into BoyzAttack, and in a matter of seconds it felt like it could all end. Especially without-

"Nicole." She lifted her head from her knees and saw Tommy coming down the hall toward the suite. She stood as fast as she could and ran over to throw herself into his arms and squeezed as hard as she could, breathing in his scent until she felt a little more at ease.

"Tommy." She kissed his lips very softly and then stepped back and smacked his chest with an open palm. "Where the hell have you been? Do you know how worried I've been? How many people I've sent out there looking for you?"

Tommy rubbed the area where Nicole slapped him and looked down at the floor. He wasn't talking and he looked unmistakably serious. "Tommy. What's the matter? What's going on?"

He took in a breath before he spoke, summoning up every little reserve of courage he possessed in his bones. "I can't do this anymore." No matter what aspect of his life he was referring to, whether it was her or the band, either would be devastation to Nicole.

"What do you mean? Do what?" She moved forward and ran the back of her hand across his cheek. When he didn't answer immediatly, she asked more forcefully. "Do what, Tommy? Talk!"

"I'm done with this, with the band. It's not for me anymore. I want to go solo...I quit." The Q-bomb. It hit Nicole like a truck to the torso. That was it. It's over.

"You can't do this! You have a contract, Tommy!" She began to pace again in her agrivation. "You have bandmates in there, friends. You have fans out there, that paid $75 from their allowance money to see you sing tonight."

"WHO CARES? Who cares about Little Tommy Q anymore? NO ONE! That's who. The BoyzAttack era is over. It has been for awhile now."

She couldn't believe the words she was hearing. Her entire career had been destroyed with just a few syllables. Now, Nicolette Andromedia was a has-been. Tears started gathering in the corners of her eyes, and before she could control them, sobs escaped her lips, and rivers flowed down her cheeks. "You asshole." Her voice was cracking, stiffled by cries. "You selfish, egotistical asshole! You get to make ALL the decisions now, huh? You're suddenly in charge of all our careers! You had a group that was not ready to give up on this. _I _ wasn't ready! For any of it to be over! It's too big to just walk away from."

"I'm not happy, Nic! I haven't been for months now!" He ran his fingers through his hair. "I thought that after I left the clinic that things would get better with the group. That I would want to do this again. But I can't! I can't make this work! I don't want to make this work."

Nicole began massaging her forehead. She rested her head against the wall, and quietly beat her fists against the cinder blocks. "I can't believe what I'm hearing." She whispered.

"C'mon baby..." Tommy moved forward and tried to hug Nicole but his arms didn't come even close to her body before she pushed him away.

"Don't touch me. Don't come near me! Don't even THINK about coming near me!" Now she was close to a breakdown. "You've ruined everything. You've ruined them, and you've ruined me. My career is over! My life is complete shit now!"

"Nicole, c'mon. We can start again, just you and me. Just because I don't want this doesn't mean I don't want you with me. You and I-"

"Get out of here, Tommy." Her voice growled. "Get out!" He tried to hold onto her again and this time, she threw a fist at his face, and connected. She heard a soft crack and Tommy stumbled backwards clutching his jaw. He rubbed it, to try to ease the pain, but Nicole wasn't through with him yet."You failed me, Tommy." Her voice fell like daggers on her own ears. To even think about this made her heart break. "There is no more 'you and I' anymore. You failed me as a friend, as your manager, and...as a love, you are a failure."

The glare from Nicole's eyes could have made a fire shiver, and Tommy obviously defeated, and quite possibly fractured, headed for the exit of the Pavillion.

Even after he had disappeared from sight, Nicole still had to do her part as manager...and perform the hardest task ever given to her.

She tried to wipe the leftover tears from her face, but they just kept on flowing. When she looked down at her sleeve, large black blotches laid all up and down her arm. Her mascara was most certainly running now. After a minute of trying to make herself look as together as possible, she breathed in deep, and opened the doors to the suite.

Before the door had even shut behind her, Bru, Stevie, Chaz, and JP were all standing up, gasping at Nicole's deshelved appearance, puffy eyes, and tear-stained cheeks. "Guys...it's over. It's all over."

The late afternoon bash at Sam Managhan's was exactly like every other party Jude had gone to. Scantily clad women running around a pool. A bar fully stocked with little colored umbrellas all over from discarded drinks. Music blaring across a make-shift dance floor with bodies girating across the squares. In the short time Jude had experienced fame, every party she had gone to looked exactly the same.

She really had no desire to be there. Between the offer from Nicole, the tension between her and Tommy, and Jamie. 'Oh god, Jamie.' Before she had a chance to enter that thought track, Tommy pulled on her upper arm towards the center of the party.

"Tommy, c'mon." But the pulling continued. "Can't we just i tell /i Georgia I came and schmoosed? I really don't want to deal with this right now."

"And you think I do?" The pair reached the pool and hovered around there for some time. One on one, they didn't have much to say to each other, and both had to attend an event against their will. "Look," Tommy finally broke their awkward silence, dotted with squeals from the models and back-up dancers splashing around them. "the quicker you find Sam, the sooner we can leave." Jude didn't move but stared back at Tommy like a petulant child. "So go and find him!" He gave Jude's back a shove and sent her out into the wilds of the party. She turned back and tried to beg Tommy to leave, even if it was with a devastated look, but it was met with a wave of his hand and she stomped away from the pool towards the mansion.

His confidence was such a sham. Tommy honestly didn't want to be there just as much as Jude, but the big G, sent him on a mission and he did what his boss said. He swaggered over to the bar, and asked for a water. "With lemon". The cool ice clicked against his teeth as he scanned the party looking for someone to make the hour pass by faster.

There wasn't anyone...anyone that he hadn't seen before or met, or been bored with in the past. And he caught sight of brown curly hair across the way, bobbing excitedly next to a blond woman with curly hair, and he knew. Nicole was here. After last night, after the Sentry where he swore to himself that he was happy he would never have to see her again if he didn't want to, another part of him was almost excited about her being at Sam's. He took his glass and his pink paper umbrella and followed the same path Jude took across the party.

Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Nicole turned around. Her deep brown orbs locked with his light blue. With her gaze, Tommy felt his knees go weak. "Well," Nicole spoke, her martini sloshing around in her hand. "look at what the cat dragged in."

"What happened to your name at the bottom of my check at the end of the month?" He wasn't quite sure how he should have been feeling at the moment.

"Cool it, T." She took a quick drink from her martini. "I'm here just the same as you are." Her free hand pointed out towards the dance floor. "I'm pushing my product." Tommy looked out to where Nicole was pointing and saw Jude, speaking to a few random rap moguls who he recognized as aqquaintances of her ex-boyfriend, Shay. "We both have to attend these functions, and make the rounds." She downed the last of her drink and thrust the empty glass into Tommy's hand. "And that's where I'm heading."

She walked away with the nameless blonde girl bouncing behind her and giggling excitedly, and Tommy was left alone...and frankly, a little pissed.

Her phone had been ringing almost every 10 minutes like clockwork since last night. She didn't even have to look anymore. She knew it was Jamie.

And Jude really did feel horrible about ignoring him, but she honestly had no idea what she would say once she did decide to pick up. It ended so awkwardly last night, after Jamie had leaned in...after that, he just packed up and left, without another word, only a look of complete and utter embarrassment. She tried to chase him down, but he just ran next door, and slammed the door. And now he wanted to talk to her...it was too much to handle.

Add on top of everything else, less than an hour ago, she got accosted by members of Shay's posse, who were making attempts to be nice, but only made Jude feel more miserable. Apologizing for their boy's bad behavior, and saying how much they preferred her to Eden.

So, here she was. With the past with Shay, the present with Tommy, and the future with Jamie all in question. Without even realizing, completely lost in her own thoughts, she plopped down in a chair and just tried to think. It was almost another hour before Tommy found her, sunken into a deep red armchair in the center of the house.

"What are you doing?" he shouted. His day was already bad enough that he didn't need to deal with Jude acting like this. "Have you found Sam?"

She could barely squeeze the words out. But Tommy was able to hear amongst the breathy voice, a very audible 'no'.

"Jude! What the hell? We've been here all day. And you haven't gotten anything done?"

"I'm sorry, okay." She still didn't move from her chair. "I have a lot on my mind right now."

"WE ALL DO JUDE!"

"FINE! Look, I'm going." She rose from the chair and headed out from the room calling out Sam's name saying and calling out childish phrases like "olly olly oxen-free" and "come out come wherever you are".

As if his day wasn't hell enough, he and Jude were at each other's throats again. He needed out. He couldn't be there anymore. He descended Sam's staircase, across the courtyard, through the party, and to the parking lot where his blue Camaro waited to take him to freedom.

The keys were in the ignition, and he was ready to pull out when there was a tap on his window.

"Where you going off to in such a hurry?" It was Nicole.

"What do you care? I'm just your bus boy." Another encounter with the woman who had pretty much turned his life into misery since she showed up.

"Oh don't be that way. It was only a joke." His stone cold gaze hadn't softened, even after the little chuckle offered to lighten the mood. "Well, your sense of humor has really gone downhill since the last time I saw you."

Tommy stared down at his steering wheel and fiddled with the keys in the ignition. "I haven't exactly had that much to laugh about lately." He paused and pretended to mess with the gear shift. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be off being best friends with Sam and every other person in the music biz?"

"I was worried. You just stomped out of the party, not even a word to anyone. You didn't even look like you were looking for someone to say goodbye."

"Well, I wasn't."

Nicole's expression was obviously disappointed. And Tommy could see it. After all that they had been through, he couldn't believe that they had reached this point: where everything they said to one another could be painful. Off in the distance, behind the mass of cars and towards the area of the backyard bash, "Waste My Time" was blaring over the speakers. Tommy shifted in his seat, and Nicole knew her concern wasn't welcome. "Well, that's my cue." She headed off back towards the guitar beats and rap solo.

She had barely made it 50 feet when Tommy's car pulled up beside her. "Do you want to get out of here?" Tommy yelled through the open passenger side window.

"I don't think that's a really good idea." Nicole continued to stare forward, taking careful steps across the gravel lot in her heeled shoes.

"C'mon." He pleaded. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have been an ass." She was still moving slowly, but not even giving Tommy the satisfaction of eye contact. "It's obvious we both don't want to be here. C'mon..."

He popped open the passenger and stopped the car. Nicole looked into the interior, and back to the party, Jude's voice still filling the mansion and courtyard around them. "Alright."

Mission accomplished. Jude had managed to find Sam, have a conversation with him about her new album, play the single at the party, and convince the editor-in-chief of Blender Magazine to do a feature story on her when the album dropped. All in a matter of a half hour. She had to pat herself on the back. And hopefully Tommy would too...when she found him, and they could get out of there.

After nearly an hour of searching every little crevice of the spread, Tommy was still missing. i He can't have left...could he? /i She moved her way across the parking lot to the spot where she was sure she and Tommy had parked a few hours ago. But it was empty, and his car was nowhere else to be found in the lot.

Jude couldn't believe what was happening. Tommy had ditched her. He had actually left her alone somewhere without even a word of where he was going or if he would be back. But she could guess from the time that he wasn't coming to pick her up and take her home. She racked her brain trying to think of people to call. Georgia would have left the G-Major office by now. And EJ would have been right behind her. Her mom was at work, and her dad...well, nevermind.

The first number she found was Sadie's but no one picked up. She left an urgent voice message which she was more than certain would go ignored. She tried Tommy, for the 14th time, but he wasn't picking up either. As she shut her phone and was about to put it back in her pocket, it started to ring. She prayed it was Tommy, or anyone at this point who could help her out. But instead...it was Jamie, again. But at this point, she didn't have a choice but to answer...

"Hello?" She tried to cover it as best she could, but she knew he voice gave away her panicked state. And Jamie was never one to miss out on those little twinges in her voice...that's what made him her best friend.

"Jude? What's going on?" Jamie's voice now matched Jude's panic.

"Nothing." She stuttered. "Nothing...really. I mean...Jamie," She took a deep breath and sighed away from the phone's receiver. "Can you do me a huge favor?"


	5. Chapter 5

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star - Part 5

Timeline: set for after 'Lose Your Skin';

Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie

Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.

As much as she tried, Jude just wasn't fast enough to make it into her house before Jamie was at her heels.

"Okay, this is not fair." Jamie waved his finger to Jude's back. She really wanted him to leave. She wasn't ready to deal with his yet. "I drive all the way out to...I don't even know where, and you barely say anything to me the entire car ride besides 'hi', 'thanks', and 'mind if i change this?'"

She continued away from the front door, but he continued to follow her through the house before she finally gave up and slumped down on a stool at the kitchen counter.

"Are you going to say something or what?" Jamie's voice reckoned back to his prepubscent days as it squeeked out.

"What do you want me to say?" Her voice came out muffled from behind her hands. "I don't know!"

Jamie was about to speak, but he withdrew, as if the thought in his head couldn't help his situation. "Well..." He tried again, still nothing. "I think...I think we need to talk...about the other night." His parlay at trying to sound strong and confident made him sound more like a child who told his parents that he wasn't ready for bed.

Jude didn't move from her spot. She stayed, face buried in hands, hands buried in arms, arms buried in chest. "Yeah, I left afterwards, but I tried to call you and when I come out to help you, you don't say anything. Not a single word to me." Jamie continued. "Do you even know how hard that was for me? Just a ballpark guess." Jude was still silent, and motionless.

Even though the responses weren't quite what he was going for, Jamie was on a roll, finally having an opportunity to get everything he had been feeling off his chest. "Really hard. I mean, it's been...I don't know...years since I was able to think differently about you."

Still nothing. "Jude, you have to say something?" Jamie reached over and lightly pulled up on Jude's arm. Her tear-stained face lifted from the counter, but her eyes avoided his. "Oh my god." Jamie ran over to behind Jude and held her really close, and she collapsed his shoulder, trying her best not to get make-up on his track jacket even though she knew it was probably useless.

Jamie petted Jude's bright red hair, shushing her to stop crying, and letting out little comforting statements whenever the moment seemed prepped for it. "We can talk about this later" was the statement that made Jude feel the most at ease. Grabbing a pile of napkins that were left on the counter, Jamie led Jude to the living room and the couch, where she collapsed defeated in the cushions. "Do you want me to leave?" Jamie asked, putting the napkins on the table in front of her. Jude managed to shake her head "no". She didn't want to be by herself right now.

The cushions hissed and molded as Jamie leaped over the table and onto the space beside Jude, in a vain attempt to make her smile. He sat beside her, not too close, just in case she didn't want that, but close enough for him to leave his hand "conveintly" next to the remote for the TV and within her grasp. And she did reach out for his hand, and pulled him to her, collapsing into her chest, her tears not present anymore. Just a heaviness around her.

This time the tables were turned. She was so relieved that there was someone there. Someone with her who cared, because if the past few weeks had shown Jude anything, it was that there were very few people in her life that she felt like that were there for her. But Jamie...he was always there for her. And before she could change her mind, or even think about anything differently, Jude pulled Jamie in for a long deep kiss.

He pulled away almost immediatly. Not out of disgust, but surprise. But it was only momentary, because Jude pulled him back towards her into the cushions of the couch.

Tommy's apartment was exactly how Nicole would have pictured his place now that he was "Tom Quincy, producer." Clean lines, white down cushions to match the pristine the white walls and carpet with inlaid lighting all through out the ceiling. "This is my favorite though." Tommy moved across the floor over to the window that stretched over an entire wall. The city shown out in front of him; the buildings catching the fleckles of light and bouncing them against the white background. He stood by the window and looked back forth between that and Nicole, who was carefully inspecting the layout.

"Not bad, Quincy." She made another revolution at the center of the living room. "Not bad at all."

Tommy just shrugged. "Yeah, it works." He dug the toes of his boots into the carpet. "So, how's your place still treating you?"

"Oh, I've moved from my old place about.three years ago. I have an apartment in Queenstown now." Tommy shot a puzzled look at her, and she knew why. Queenstown was a complete step down from Nicole's old residence in West Hills. "Well, I can't necessarily afford the mortgage on a $2.3 million dollar house without a job, can I?"

He got really quiet suddenly. She was making another one of her comments which would seem innocent enough, but was really meant to be painful to whom it was directed. "Do you want something to drink?" He decided changing the subject was his best means at this point.

"Vodka, on the rocks." Tommy shook his head. "Scotch?" Another shake. "Anything?" Once more.

"I don't have anything in here." He looked down at his hands, which had started to shuffle against each other. "After our little discussion at the restaurant, I came back and...threw it away."

Nicole's face was completely shocked. "Everything? Including that bottle of Cristal I told you to save for your 25th birthday?"

"Well, what can I say? Don't need to fall into old habits." Tommy wasn't even sure himself if he meant the alcohol alone. "But," he hurried away to the kitchen tucked in a corner. "I have water and ...water."

As much as she tried not to, she could feel her eyes rolling in her head. "Guess that's a pretty easy answer for you."

He sauntered out of the kitchen, carrying two bottles of water. Nicole took it grudgingly and returned her gaze out towards the city, glittering in front of her.

The pair were silent for awhile, drinking their water, as the plastic crinkled as they slowly drained them. "It's really beautiful, isn't it?" Nicole finally spoke.

"Yeah, it is." As Nicole turned, she found Tommy already staring at her. She felt her cheeks flush a little, and she turned away and found herself giggling. When she looked back again, he hadn't turned away. His steel blue eyes locked onto her deep brown, completely transfixed on the light green outer ring. He almost didn't realize what he was doing, until he shook his head to try and come back to his senses, and tried to turn attention back towards the city lights.

Nicole took one last sip of her water, and placed it on the ledge in front of her. "Tommy," she turned towards him, and placed a hand out on her hip. He looked back towards her with a look of trepidation. "are we going to pretend to stare out at the city all night...or you going to kiss me?" She moved in a little closer and arched her back, readying herself.

Tommy put his own water down, very carefully. His arm moved out and wrapped around her back, pulling her in close to him. They stood there for a moment, their noses almost touching , locking eyes once again. She put her arm up around his neck, and a small smile spread across her lips. Tommy matched it, and pulled her into him. Their bottoms lips met and he pulled her in closer. Nicole's arms intertwined with Tommy's, and they continued to pull each other as close as possible. Their lips dropped from one another, and he dreamily opened his eyes and saw Nicole's beaming smile looking at him.

His hand reached up and played with one of the curly brown tendrils hanging down by the side of her face. He twisted in his fingers, and laughed as he did it. And Nicole couldn't help but laugh with him. He took her hand in his, and squeezed it as he led her towards the back of her apartment. Down through the hallway, he stopped again, the smile that had decorated his face a few minutes earlier disappeared. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

But the smile still covered his face. She leaned in and kissed Tommy's lips. She moved across and dotted both of his cheeks with kisses, and down across his neck. "Yes."


End file.
